The proliferation of telecommunication and computing technology has spawned a variety of communication technologies and channels. Currently, key communication channels include data, voice, video, instant messaging, text messaging, social media, email, file sharing, faxing, and other similar communication channels. Voice communications have expanded beyond traditional public telephone networks and landlines to voice communications occurring over mobile networks and the Internet, such as Voice over IP (“VoIP”). Additionally, new options for instant messaging and social media communications are regularly made available to users.
To keep up with the ever-increasing availability of communication options, many users may be accessible to more than one communications option. For example, users may have multiple phone numbers at which they may be reached (e.g. home, office, mobile, and fax.) A user may also belong to multiple instant messaging and social media networks.
Further, each user may prefer to communicate using different communication channels, types, or media. Further, these preferences may differ among users, family, friends, and colleagues and/or a user may only communicate using a certain type of communication mechanism, such as through electronic mail or calling over a network using VoIP. Accordingly, it may be difficult for a user to keep track of contact information for family, friends, and colleagues. Moreover, a user may require access to multiple forms of communication to stay connected to other users.
Therefore, there is a need for a communication system that unifies information, media, and different forms of communication.